Flood Leaves Four Dead, Nine Missing in North Vietnam: Official

At least four people died, seven missing and one got injured in floods happened in Vietnam’s northwestern province of Lao Cai when tropical storm Nida swept the northern region and left a low-pressure area, state media reporting, citing an official. Depression after the storm has left the entire Lao Cai with heavy rains, up to 152 mm in Bat Xat district, causing floods and flashflood in mountainous areas, the Lao Dong newspaper reported, citing Nguyen Anh Tuan, director of Lao Cai Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The situation became worse when water continued pouring from the upper course of Da river which originates from China, Mr. Tuan said. Lao Cai city and many parts in the districts of Bat Xat, Sa Pa, and Bao Yen were submerged, leaving dozens of households isolated, according to the state-run Tien Phong newspaper. Road connecting Lao Cai city and famous tourist attraction Sa Pa was paralyzed with high water levels. The situation was not improved until this morning [Aug 5]. Local police issued a ban prohibiting all vehicles from national road No.4D connecting Lao Cai and neighboring province of Lai Chau. Northern Vietnam enters rainy season from the 7th month of the Lunar Year annually, causing huge losses in mountainous areas. (Lao Dong Aug 5, VnExpress.net Aug 5)